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Contagions Past and Present

June 1-2, 2012

Humans live at the mercy of disease. As social animals, we share living space, food, water, and air. We live at risk of transmitting pathogens and igniting catastrophic contagions. How we respond to disease often reflects broader social and cultural issues lingering beneath our healthy lives. This seminar explores the causes, cures, and social and cultural implications of contagions in several settings. Hunter Gardner will discuss Roman writers whose portrayals of plague spoke to their understanding of the lifecycles of humans and societies. Jehangir Malegam will cover Medieval European plagues and explain why they were such watershed events in Europe’s development. David Weber will apply his medical expertise to consider how accurately films portray disease. Daniel Halperin will analyze the role of Western nations in the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Africa and throughout the world. In the panel session, we will challenge our speakers to apply the lessons of the past to contend with the threat of contagions today.

Topics and Speakers

Representing Plague in Roman LiteratureHunter Gardner, Assistant Professor of Classics, University of South Carolina at Columbia

4:30 p.m. Friday, June 1, through 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 2, 2012. The tuition is $125 ($110 by May 23). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by May 23). 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. The optional dinner on Friday evening is $20.00.